1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to hand tools and is particularly directed to multipurpose hand tools for use in survival situations and in hostile environments, such as underwater or in outer space.
2. Prior Art
A survival situation is one in which a person finds themselves with minimal equipment and supplies, at best, and where their continued existance depends upon making the most of what they have. Clearly then, a survival tool must be a multi-purpose device which serves a plurality of functions easily and efficiently and which can be converted from one function to another with minimal time and effort. Thus, a survival tool is often required to serve as a weapon for hunting or protection, as an axe for cutting wood for fires or shelter, and as a tool for repairing or modifying other equipment. Unfortunately, performance of these various functions often require modification or alteration of the survival tool and may lead to considerable complication in the structure of the tool. Thus, many prior art survival tools are highly specialized and, hence, are extremely limited in utility. Other prior art survival tools are overly complex in construction, becoming merely complicated toys which are of little value in real survival conditions, or requiring so much time or effort to convert from one function to another that they are of little, if any, real value. Still other prior art survival tools are so designed that they are more danger than help to the user. Again, some prior art survival tools are difficult to transport from place to place and, hence, may be unavailable when most needed. A search in the United States Patent Office has revealed the following:
______________________________________ U.S. PAT. NO. INVENTOR ISSUED ______________________________________ 4,622,707 C. A. Finn Nov. 18, 1986 4,803,745 A. Izquierdo Feb. 14, 1989 4,817,221 W. W. Ryan Apr. 4, 1989 4,821,356 C. A. Finn Apr. 18, 1989 ______________________________________
Each of these references is subject to the limitations discussed above. Thus none of the prior art survival tools have been entirely satisfactory. As a result, members of SEAL Team One of the United States Navy Special Warfare Command requested the present inventor, who is an ex-UDT SEAL Master-At-Arms to design a survival tool which would be superior to those of the prior art.